Recipes March 2014 Country Kitchen Strawberry Marbled Cheesecake

Strawberry Marbled Cheesecake

Strawberry Marbled Cheesecake
Strawberry Marbled Cheesecake

Strawberry Marbled Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1 – 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
red food coloring (optional)
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 eggs
1/4 cup Lemon juice

Preparation

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Preheat oven to 300 F.

In blender combine strawberries and cornstarch; blend until smooth. In heavy saucepan, over medium heat, cook and stir strawberry sauce until thickened. Add food color if desired. Reserve 1/3 cup of strawberry sauce and cool to room temperature. Chill remaining sauce.

Coat sides of springform pan with butter and flour. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter; press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

In mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in Eagle Brand milk until smooth. Add eggs and lemon juice; mix until well blended. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan. Spoon half the reserved strawberry sauce in small amounts over batter. Repeat layers. With knife, cut through the batter to marble.

Bake 50 minutes or until center is set but wobbles slightly. Turn off oven, leave door open, let cake set in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven and chill completely in refrigerator. Remove side of springform pan. Serve with chilled strawberry sauce. Refrigerate leftovers.

Tip: Mix and blend ingredients together well, but avoid over beating the mix. Placing a pan of boiling water on oven rack beneath cheesecake will help prevent cracks. Debbie recommends covering cracks in cheesecake with chilled strawberry sauce should they occur.